You’ll spot the Hollywood United Methodist Church by its tall, castle-like gray stone tower with a huge red ribbon on the front-just look up at the corner of Franklin and Highland and you can’t miss it!
Alright, time to stretch your imagination as you stand here! Picture yourself in old Hollywood: it’s 1909 and a group of hopeful Methodists has rented a room above the Owl Drugstore on what’s now Hollywood Boulevard. Their dream? Build a church for a bustling community that hadn’t even given itself to the stars yet. The first church building they put up was charming but honestly, a bit squished, with only 800 seats. That one didn’t last long-by the early 1920s it was history, replaced by the Guaranty Building (which, fun fact, still stands just a few blocks away).
So, what you see in front of you is actually their grand comeback. In the roaring 1920s, the congregation snagged this plot of land, started building, and, after a few years and $800,000 (which in today’s money would buy maybe a parking space in Beverly Hills), this masterpiece opened to the public in spring of 1930. Its designer, Thomas P. Barber, styled the sanctuary’s soaring arches and hammer-beam ceiling after the grand halls of London. And just in case earthquakes decide to crash the party, the building’s steel-and-concrete bones give it the strength of a superhero.
But it’s not just about looks! Look up at that bold red ribbon. Since World AIDS Day in 1993, it’s stood as a giant symbol of compassion and activism. Over the decades, this church became a home for the LGBTQ+ community, and a beacon for those fighting for equality within the United Methodist fold. The ribbon’s still repainted every so often, a stubbornly hopeful splash of color against the Hollywood sky.
If you’ve ever dreamed of dancing at the “Enchantment Under the Sea” prom from Back to the Future, you’re in luck-those scenes happened right here in the gym. “Sister Act” filmed its singing nuns inside, and even Tom Hanks dropped by for “That Thing You Do!” You could say this place is so Hollywood, it’s practically got its own star.
Oh, and if you hear the sound of laughter and little feet, that’s The Oaks School next door-a non-religious school that shares some staff and plenty of high-fives with the church folks.
Standing here, you’re soaking up not just the gothic vibes or the movie magic, but over a century of stories about hope, change, and marching to your own beat, all while Hollywood swirls around you.
